Love, Actually
Chapter 6
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Hatake Kakashi strolled down the corridor of the Hokage Tower, a hand in his pocket. The other held the lucky mission report that the man had decided he would turn in on time. Kakashi generally handed in his mission reports ranging from a few days late to a few weeks (much to the annoyance of the administrative Ninja) but sometimes when he was feeling magnanimous or whimsical, he would hand it in within the deadline.
The Copy Ninja had the usual lazy look in his visible eye, but inwardly he was rather pleased. It felt really good to be home again after 6 months.
There were things he needed to do, people he needed to see. Kakashi was looking forward to meeting his comrades, friends and former students again. Normally, the man was aloof with them and preferred his solitude but after being away for so long, he had to admit that he kind of missed them. A visit to the Memorial Stone was also long overdue and Kakashi reminded himself to pay respects to Obito and Rin later that day.
First though, there was someone that the Copy Ninja had to see.
The man quickened his pace to the Mission Room, eager to hand in his report and get it over and done with. As he stepped into the room, he blinked once at the sight of a group of familiar faces huddled together by the desk, speaking in hushed tones. They didn't seem to notice his entry, which was unusual in itself since they were all ranked Chunin and above.
"Did you see how big Kagome-san's getting?" Izumo asked with a smile.
Kakashi's curiosity was peaked the moment they mentioned the name of his blue-eyed friend. He paid more attention to their conversation. What did Izumo mean when he said that Kagome was getting big? Was she gaining weight or something?
"Yeah," Raidou agreed, a small smile on his lips. "Makes me wonder if she's carrying twins."
Kakashi's train of thought promptly veered off the tracks, crashed into a ravine and exploded into fiery chunks. What. The. Hell. Did Raidou just say what Kakashi thought he just said? Kagome could be carrying twins? Twins? Was she pregnant? What?! When?! Who?!
"Hey Iruka, you've been seeing her lately. Did she tell you who's the father?" Kotetsu asked.
Iruka shook his head. "No, sorry Kotetsu. She never brought it up and I didn't want to pry," he replied with a frown.
"All right, all right. Enough now," Raidou said with a shake of his head. He straightened up. "Let's get back to work guys. What would Tsunade-sama think of us if she sees us all gossiping here like nosy old women—" The man choked, seeing Kakashi at the doorway.
The other Ninja turned to look as well, now able to sense the dangerous aura that the scarecrow was radiating. There was a dangerous glint in the man's eye, which let them know that someone was going to die. Painfully.
"A-ah, Kakashi. Welcome back," Raidou said awkwardly.
The Copy Ninja creased his eye in into an expression that was all too fake. Someone in the group let out an audible gulp.
"Raidou," he greeted. "Tell me, what was it you were all discussing about Kagome just now that was so interesting you didn't even notice my presence." By the tone of voice, the men could tell it wasn't a request.
The Ninja looked uncomfortably at each other, all unwilling to step up on the proverbial chopping block.
Finally, Iruka jabbed Izumo sharply in the ribs while Kotetsu pushed him forward a bit. The Chunin turned around to send a glare at his traitorous comrades before facing Kakashi with a nervous smile.
"Well, err, Kakashi. You probably haven't heard this because you were out of the village by the time everyone found out but…." Izumo said the next part out in a rush when he noticed Kakashi's bored glare. "Kagome-san's pregnant. I'd say she's about…. 8, no 9 months along now?"
"She only just passed her 8th month Izumo," Iruka piped in helpfully.
"And who's the father?" Kakashi asked. His tone was calm and even, but everyone could sense the killer intent practically rolling off of him in waves.
Izumo let out a wince. "Well… Err… You see… That's the thing. We didn't even know that Kagome-san was dating someone until she got pregnant. No one knows who the father is and some of us have tried asking her about it but her mouth's sealed on the matter." The killer intent only got stronger. "B-but! There've been rumours going around about who's the dad. Some say it's Genma because Kagome-san's been avoiding him lately. Other's say it's Sasuke 'cause the two of them have been spending a lot of time together. He also behaves very… differently around her. But yeah, it's only speculation at this point."
"Genma and Sasuke, huh?" Kakashi mumbled to himself before walking up to Izumo. The Chunin was pale and shaking but remained rooted to the spot. Kakashi grabbed his hand and Izumo blinked in surprise when a mission report was placed into it.
"Here's my report, and thanks for the information," Kakashi drawled before strolling out of the mission room, hand held up in goodbye. The dangerous aura followed him as he left. All the remaining Ninja in the room let out the breath they hadn't realised they were holding since they discovered Kakashi in the room with them. In unison, they felt a wave of pity flash over them for Genma and Sasuke.
The Copy Ninja was out for blood and he had set them as their targets. Those poor unfortunate souls…
Shiranui Genma was a notorious ladies man in Konoha, known for his casual and calm charm as well as his teasing personality.
Women practically threw themselves at his feet whether he wanted them to or not. But most of the time he wanted them to. It was nice having a fling or a one-night stand once in a while, in his (proud) opinion.
Because of his popularity with the females of Konoha, it was safe to say that over the years Genma had seen his fair share of all the different types of women. From the shy to the seductive, the kind to the manipulative. He had seen all these different women, yet none managed to catch his eye or make a lasting impression.
It was the reason why he was still single despite being 38 now.
Well, that wasn't entirely true. Two women had managed to catch his interest these past few years. They were already friends now, and if he chose to pursue them seriously the Tokubetsu Jounin believed he could actually fall in love with them. Not at the same time or anything! If Genma were actually with someone, he would be loyal to her. But not many people knew that. It came with the reputation of being a ladies man.
But the deal with those two women…
One of them, Genma was hesitant about starting a relationship with. It wasn't for a lack of interest on her part or anything. They both fancied each other and had even gone on a few dates already.
It was just that… She was sort of like the niece of the current Hokage.
Genma didn't want to incur the wrath of the Slug Princess if things ever went sour with him and Shizune. Plus there was his reputation… Tsunade-sama would no doubt beat him to death if he ever dared to ask for her blessing with Shizune.
As for the other woman…
There was something about Higurashi Kagome that set her apart from the girls Genma had met. He could see it. A certain look in her eyes that let any self respecting Ninja know that she had gone through some shit and come out of it stronger.
And despite being a hell of a looker, Kagome was never arrogant about it. She was actually quite a humble person, nice to everyone and anyone. She was classy and composed most of the time, but if you pissed her off or hurt someone she cared about there would be hell to pay, as some of the enemy had the fortune of learning during the War.
Genma had tried asking her out before, and while they did go out for drinks together, she always kept things strictly platonic between them.
After spending time with her, it wasn't hard to understand why. The Tokubetsu Jounin could see that Kagome was in love with someone else.
He didn't know who the man was, but he felt damn envious of the lucky bastard.
He was also pretty pissed off since it was obvious that Kagome wasn't together with the guy. Genma couldn't figure out who the guy was, but he believed that person had to have been freaking stupid and blind not to be with a woman of Kagome's calibre.
Then came the news of Kagome being pregnant. At first, Genma had been pretty sceptical until he saw Kagome for himself.
There was no doubt she was pregnant, but the father…. Genma guessed it was probably the man that Kagome loved. Call it an intuition of sorts, something that Genma had developed from his long and rich history with women. He could actually be really perceptive about them if he wanted to.
Still, the identity of the father kept on nagging in the back of Genma's brain. It was driving him mad.
He already couldn't figure out the man's identity when Kagome had been baby-free. Now that she was… How could he still not know? Maybe if he spent more time with Kagome he would slowly be able to piece together who the guy was. Maybe Kagome knew he had a possibility of figuring out the truth too. It could explain why she had been avoiding him recently.
Genma scowled and threw back his shot.
Kagome hadn't spoken to him for the past few months. Every time he tried to see her and talk to her, she would conveniently 'disappear'. It stung him whenever she did and he really missed her damn it. Not as a potential romantic interest but as a friend. After she had turned him down, they became friends instead. Good friends. Genma missed talking to her and he was getting pretty darn cranky due to her absence in his life.
There was even a rumour going around Konoha now that he was the father of her child because of said avoidance.
The man closed his eyes and sighed. Ridiculous. They were just friends. Forget about sleeping with her, Genma hadn't so much as kissed her yet. So why the hell did people think the child could be his?
Damn gossipers…
Genma snapped out of his reflections when he sensed a familiar chakra signature behind him, full of killer intent. He whipped around, hand automatically going to his weapons pouch for a Kunai but before he realised it, he'd been grabbed by the collar and slammed face-first against the bar counter. The Tokubetsu Jounin let out a wince of pain and struggled to get free.
"What the hell are you doing Kakashi?" he asked angrily.
The Copy Ninja merely looked down at him with a deadly calm in his eye and Genma swallowed quickly. After three decades of knowing the guy, he could tell that the man restraining him was about a hair's breadth away from committing murder. Extremely bloody and painful murder. But why was the man angry with him? Genma couldn't recall doing anything to piss him off, and besides, he hadn't seen the man for half a year until today.
"I've heard something very interesting about you Genma and I couldn't help wondering if it's true. Are you really the father of Kagome's child?" he asked smoothly, and Genma let out a frustrated groan.
"Seriously? You too Kakashi?" His tone was sceptical. "How many times do I have to tell everyone? I'm innocent! Kagome and I are just friends! I've never dated her, never kissed her and never slept with her! So no, I'm not the damn baby's father!"
Kakashi only watched his outburst with a raised brow.
"I swear." Genma insisted. "If I'm dating anyone now, it'd be Shizune."
Slowly, the Copy Ninja released his hold on the man. Genma shrugged his shoulders, making sure he hadn't sprained anything. Then he straightened his clothes, particularly his bandana and jacket. He was lucky he hadn't been chewing on his signature senbon when Kakashi attacked. Otherwise he'd probably have died via senbon to the throat the moment he got slammed onto the counter.
"Shizune, huh?" Kakashi mused. "That's a dangerous game you're playing there, Genma. You know that right?"
The man rolled his eyes. "You really have to ask?"
The scarecrow shrugged lazily. "I'm just saying, it's not my head on the proverbial chopping block once Tsunade-sama finds out you, oh esteemed womaniser of Konoha, are dating her precious lover's niece."
"Yeah, well. That's only if you decide to be an asshole about it and tell her. Shizune and I have only gone for a few dates. Nothing so serious yet."
"I'll keep my silence," Kakashi assured. "But if it's a choice between keeping your secret or Tsunade-sama's fists, forgive me if I'll take the option where I don't get beaten to within an inch of my life," he replied dryly. He still remembered Jiraiya's horror stories about that happening when the Toad Sage had peeked on the woman in the baths once.
Genma let out a sigh. "It's better than nothing."
Kakashi let out a thoughtful hum. "Since I'm keeping your secret for you, I'll trust you not to lie to me about Kagome. Do you have any idea who will know who her baby's father is?" he asked.
The Tokubetsu Jounin took a moment to think.
"Well, my money would be on Nara Shikamaru. That guy's too smart for his own good," he offered.
"Right. Thanks," Kakashi said with a nod and headed out towards the door. Genma watched the Copy Ninja leave before turning back to the counter and ordering another shot of whiskey. He really needed to get shit-faced drunk and forget about all of his troubles right now.
Kakashi stood outside of Shikamaru's backyard, waiting for the man to appear. He didn't see the need to ring the doorbell. The wards around the property had probably already alerted the man to his presence. The Shoji screen of a room slid open, and Temari stepped into view.
She blinked, taking in his company. "Ah, Kakashi-san. Welcome back."
Temari had been married to Shikamaru for over a year now. They'd started dating soon after the War and despite their busy schedules and long distance relationship, had managed to make it work.
The only true obstacles in their relationship had been trying to convince Gaara to accept Shikamaru as a brother-in-law, trying to get Shikamaru's clan to approve of his marriage to the Sand Ninja and deciding where the two would live after their marriage. After weeks of argument and debate, a compromise had been reached. Shikamaru and Temari had to spend a total of 6 months each living in their respective villages.
So for every 3 months thereabouts, Temari and Shikamaru would travel between their villages. It wasn't the perfect solution by any means, but at least they were both able to complete the duties expected of them.
Kakashi creased his eye in a greeting. "Is Shikamaru in?"
Temari nodded. "Yes. The Hokage has tasked him with coming up for the plans for the new Chunin and Jounin exams. Come on in and take a seat. I'll go and get him for you," she told him, pulling the screen door open wider. Kakashi toed off his sandals and stepped up onto the raised platform.
"Sorry for the intrusion," he muttered politely, stepping into the room.
He assumed a seiza position on the tatami while Temari disappeared down the hallway in search of her husband. Soon, a dual set of footsteps could be heard padding down the corridor and the man appeared. He took a seat opposite the Copy Ninja while Temari made to leave.
"Oh, no need for tea," Kakashi told her. "I won't be staying long."
Temari nodded and went to sit beside her husband.
"So, what can I do for you Kakashi-san?" Shikamaru asked.
"Well, I was hoping you could help me get to the bottom of some… troubling rumours in Konoha," the scarecrow replied with a casual shrug.
Shikamaru raised his brow. As a genius, it took him less than a second to understand what Kakashi was talking about. "First thing's first. I had nothing to do with Kagome-san's pregnancy."
"I didn't say you did," Kakashi replied, believing every word of it. Shikamaru was too lazy a person to have an affair. He also wasn't stupid enough to cheat on Temari of all people. She would never let him live. There were also two overprotective brother-in-laws who would gut him once she was done ripping his balls off.
Kakashi inwardly winced. "I'm just asking what you can tell me about it."
"Well, Kagome only revealed her pregnancy some months after you and Naruto left the village. By then she was too big to hide it anymore. No one knows when she got pregnant, or who the father is. She's kept her silence on the subject every time someone asks," he explained.
Temari let out a frown. "I feel bad for Kagome-san. No father has come forth to acknowledge the baby so she has to raise the child alone. And the kinds of things some people are saying about her. It really makes my blood boil…" Kakashi could only imagine what those things were. He felt a spark of anger ignite in his blood at the thought of people judging Kagome, looking down on her just because she decided not to take her child's life.
He pushed the anger away. Now wasn't the time for it.
"Then have you figured out who the father is Shikamaru?" If Kakashi ever found him, he would skin the guy alive.
Shikamaru flashed him a measured look. "I have," he answered in a slow, considering tone and Kakashi briefly wondered why Shikamaru was staring at him like he was a puzzle to be figured out.
"Who is it?" There was a hint of an edge to the question. Tell me who so I can eviscerate him where he stands.
The genius shook his head and sighed. "Sorry Kakashi-san, it's not my place to tell. This is something you'll have to figure out on your own."
Kakashi bit down on the urge to growl the next part out. "Is it Sasuke then?" Izumo had mentioned that his former student was one of the prime suspects. Kakashi didn't want to believe it then, so he didn't pursue the lead. But now…
Shikamaru shrugged. He wasn't going to give the game away.
"Saa, who knows? All I can say is that he acts like a pining puppy around her." Let Kakashi interpret his words however he wanted…
Temari gave her husband a look. "It's only a rumour though, Kakashi-san, so you shouldn't put much stock into it. Sasuke-san is also married to Sakura-san, and I don't think he's the type who would cheat on her."
Kakashi nodded once before creasing his eye. "Thank you both for your help. I guess I'll be seeing the two of you some other time then."
All three stood up and bowed politely to each other. Kakashi went out into the corridor again and sat down at the edge, pulling on his sandals. Then he stood and strolled off in the direction of Sasuke's house, where he hoped he would finally be able to find out the truth. If Sasuke really were the father of Kagome's child, well then… he would make sure there would be hell to pay. Not only for breaking Sakura's heart and making a fool out of her, but also for dragging Kagome's reputation through the mud like that and making her suffer the scorn of the village.
It took a lot to get him worked up. But this time, his boiling point was as low as it's ever been. The Copy Ninja Kakashi, the man who had copied over one thousand techniques was about to go on a rampage.
Sakura stood uncertainly outside of Kagome's apartment.
Her finger hovered over the edge of the doorbell and she didn't know if she could move it that extra inch. The nerve that she had summoned up at Hinata's house was failing her. Truthfully, she was dreading her conversation with Kagome. There was a great possibility that really was cheating on her, that he would leave her instead of Kagome since she was pregnant with his child.
Hinata stood patiently beside the pink haired medic in silence. This was something Sakura had to do for herself. The Hyuuga heiress was only there for support.
After a few more moments, Sakura swallowed thickly and pushed her finger against the doorbell. A ring sounded and soon there was slow shuffling coming from inside the apartment. The door opened and Kagome blinked once at the sight of them, before smiling warmly.
"Sakura! I didn't expect to see you so soon. And Hinata-chan, what a pleasant surprise," she said softly, and stepped aside. "Please, come on in."
The two Kunoichi headed into the house (both mumbling, "Sorry for the intrusion." They had manners, after all) and headed towards the living room. They took a seat on the couch while Kagome went into the kitchen to make some tea.
Sitting beside Sakura, Hinata couldn't help but feel that something was going to go horribly wrong, very soon.
(It turns out later, she was right.)
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End Chapter
Hello my lovelies. Here's the new chapter. :)
Kakashi finally appears. Hooray! The guy's listed as a main character, but it takes him 7 damn chapters to appear? Itachi's a main character too, but he won't show until Chapter 9? *slaps self* What are you doing, brain? -_-
So in this chapter, I cleaned up a lot of the dialogue, sentence structure and descriptions. I redefined Genma's relationship with Kagome. They're just good friends, he's completely interested in Shizune and he's not the type to hit on a woman who's interested in someone else.
I also made Shikamaru know who the father is, because in retrospect, the guy's a freakin' genius. Of course he would have figured it out. (He also happened to see something on that night which helped him put things together.) But just because he knows, it doesn't mean he has to tell Kakashi about it. Where would the fun be in that? XD
Things are finally going to hell in the next chapter.
Please let me know what you think!
~Beans
